Part 2 of ' The Indoctrination'

Part 2 "The Indoctrination.... "

The gym room smelled like soap and hair spray as Cassandra made her way inside. Destiny and Conchita, two of her old friends from Westwood waited for her. She had been here almost three weeks and was finally starting to feel less like an outsider. Finding them had been great, and helped the transition alot. The two were a definite contrast. Conchita was Latino with a fiery temper and razor sharp wit. She was fairly tall with long dark hair and beautiful coal black eyes framed by lashes most would kill for. Destiny was black like Cassandra. She was also rather tall and attractive, but not nearly to the degree that Conchita was. She was brown skinned and had short curly hair. She was very studious, and focused, with a quiet docile nature. She dreamed of being a doctor and rarely was she without medical journals of one sort or another. Conchita was beckoning wildly as Cassandra came through the door. "girl, you gonna be late -hurry up!" "You mean We're gonna be late" Cassandra laughed, as she raced to her locker ripping off her clothes without preamble. No matter what, she always seemed to be late. Conchita too, seemed to have this problem. Destiny, on the other hand, was almost always on time for everything.

"we got held up in class, Somebody took the teacher's -"

"Never mind Cass, Destiny interrupted. "We've got to get out to the field before Mr Baker notices we're not there" Destiny hated making a bad impression on teachers - or anyone else for that matter. She waited impatiently for Cassandra to finish, then all three raced outside into the bright sunshine. Coach Baker turned and looked at them as they tried to blend into the girls on the field for the relay race. A look of surprise crossed his face to see Destiny late, but he was not at all surprised about the other two. Those two thought the sun rose and shone just for them! They were both spoiled rotten, yet highly coveted girls. Cassandra and Conchita, he watched them a moment, as they tried to pretend they had been there all along. Damn beautiful girls, he thought to himself. They always seemed to think they can get away with anything when they looked like those two. Destiny was cute too, but nowhere near their league. Although personally, he liked Destiny best. She was sweet, smart and driven by strong ambition. He almost laughed out loud at the small medical journal hanging from the pocket of her gym pants. Yeah, that girl definitely had ambition, even if she was a little short on social skills...

Across the field The track team had also watched the 3 girls emerge. Paul sucked in his breath at the sight of Cassandra. Damn she was fine! He was so deep in thought he never heard Derek and mike sneak up behind him, until Mike popped him in the back of his head. "which one of em' you droolin over boy? He laughed as Paul spun around and glared at him. "leave 'em alone Mike, can't you see he's love sick over that lovely senorita! Derek squinted, his white teeth glinting in his dark face. "you know you white boys love them senoritas!" Mike was carefully following Paul's gaze. He looked back at Paul with a knowing smile. " But that ain't all we like though is it Paul -We also like that fine chocolate!" -You asking her t' the dance? Paul smiled, but before he could nod, Derek instantly caught Mike's drift and jerked his head toward Cassandra. The smile ran from his face in an instant. "Don't even think about it!" he said in an agitated voice. Both Paul and Mike turned to stare at him like he'd lost his mind. Paul leaned toward him, like he hadn't heard him right. "wha'd you say man? " Derek turned to face him. I said don't even think about tryin t'get one of our women" Derek answered in a clipped voice. Paul's faced darkened. " don't you EVER try to tell me who I can be with" He stated coldly. " And she ain't your woman. I know y'all think you own every woman who shares your skin color, but she has a mind of her own, and if she says yes, I'm taking her to that dance-and I dare you to try and stop me!" Derek's eyes narrowed. "You do and there'll be trouble man. You white boys think every damn thing belongs to you, but black women belong to us! You kin get anybody, I suggest you go get yo ' self a white girl!"

"Maybe I don't want no white girl, ever think of that? Just like you didn't want a black one. And I suggest you stay outta my business!"

Nostrils flaring, both guys instinctively began to open and close their fists. glaring at each other like lions circling the pride. the tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife, and Mike tried to lesson it. He turned to Derek in confusion, his slightly blond brows furrowed in puzzlement. " But, Derek man, ain't your girl white?" "That ain't got nothin t' do with it!" Derek stormed. "He ain't got no business tryin 't' be with a black girl. I'm a man and-"

"And what? " Mike raged. He was getting angry now. This made no sense to him. "So you have the right to be with a white girl but she doesn't have the right to be with a white guy? -what kind of bullshit is that!" Derek shook his head, as he backed away from them. "Don't matter no way" He spat smugly at Paul. "She ain't gonna go nowhere wit you, we train our women in the community, and they know better than that"

Paul gave him a very cold smile. "We'll see about that man, we'll just see". He turned and strode to where Cassandra was practicing cheers with her friends, instead of doing the laps the coach had told her to do. Neither she, nor Conchita were very good at the cheers, but they looked so sexily cute, everyone's eyes were riveted to them anyway.

A slow seductive smile lit Cassie's pretty face when she saw 'blue eyes' approaching. He walked right up to her with everyone watching. "Cassandra, would you go to the spring dance with me?" Suddenly he realized he was holding his breath. What the hell had he been thinking asking her out in front of everyone? What if she said no? The seconds that passed felt like hours, but then sweet relief: Her whole face was smiling and welcoming. "Yes I will," she answered defiantly. flouncing her head to the side, and throwing her long hair out of her face. "And I also wanna know what took you so long to ask? I thought I was going to have to-" His heart skipping happily, he cut her off "don't worry about all that, I'm asking now ain't I? " He smiled down at her wanting to kiss her, but knowing this was not the time or place with so many people watching. But as he was telling her he would wait for her after school, she boldly grasped his gym shirt so that he had to lean down to her. The manly scent of his after shave was subtle and intoxicating. Reaching up, she pulled his face down to hers, and gave him the slow delicious kiss she had been waiting weeks for. Her hands ran wildly through his thick dark hair. Paul backed away, looking wildly around. His heart slammed against his chest, and he barely managed to stagger away, stumbling under the weight of his excitement. Mike was waiting for him at the locker door with the rest of the track team. They were laughing so hard, some of them were holding onto the door jam.

"Man, she put that thinga-ma-jig on you!" Mike laughed. "I thought we was gonna have to carry your ass off that field!" "Yeah, " another boy interjected. "If she kissed you any longer, they'd a had to get the cardiac paddles!" This caused the roused group of boys to laugh harder. Paul brushed roughly past them, with their laughter ringing in his ears. He was unable to keep the smile from his face, although he was red as an apple, and embarrassed as all hell. It didn't matter. Hell, nothing mattered. He had Cassandra, she was all he wanted, and he was taking her to the dance.....

At the dance, Destiny showed up at 8. o clock on the dot with her Latino boyfriend Hector in tow. Both Cassandra and and Conchita were late. But they arrived in a flurry of smiles and hand waving as if they were celebrities. Both Paul, and Conchita's date James shot each other a 'you know they love to show off look' before guiding them inside. They all danced the night away. Even Destiny came out of her serious shell and had a great time. The night was almost perfect until the girls went to the powder room later in the evening.

As soon as they stepped from the stalls and went to wash their hands, Cassandra could feel the tension building. It was very large bathroom with the sinks located in one large expansive area, and the stalls located in a second adjoining room. Several girls they knew from school, were nestled together talking in hushed tones, near the sinks. They looked pissed. Since most of them were AA, Cassandra knew exactly what they were pissed about. And she didn't give a damn. Giving them a 'go to hell look', she glanced at Conchita. Conchita's boyfriend and date James, was black, so some of the anger was definitely directed at her. Conchita had a warning look in her eyes. Her chin was set firm and her head was high and proud. She was looking in the mirror but her eyes were vigilant and on guard. Only Destiny seemed out of sorts and intimidated. She was fidgeting, and avoiding eye contact. One look at her and they knew they'd found their first victim.

"Couldn't find a black man to bring you? " Tenese the leader, baited Destiny. Destiny was trying to ignore her, but her hands were visibly shaking. Lisa Smith, Tenese's best friend, joined in. "Yeah, I saw plenty of brothers lookin at you, you ain't need no pappi, but at least you ain't bring no white boy! " She, and the other three girls looked pointedly at Cassandra. Everyone in the room knew she was the one they really wanted.

Clang! Conchita's wooden hairbrush hit the sink so hard, the porcelain chipped. She swung around before Cassandra had time to say a word. Her pretty Spanish face was blazing in anger. "You betas don't know who yu mess wit -We com wit who we wahna, and you bitchis mine you biznez or ellz you gonna get hert!" Conchita's accent always became overpowering when she was angry. All 4 girls took one look at her angry, pretty face and backed down.

"We was just sayin, you know. Conchita we ain't got no problem with you girl." Janice miller tried to soothe her. "yeah, girl, you know you we all like you." Tenese broke in. "But it's Cassandra, we was all just wonderin why she wit that white boy?"

"Because I like that white boy" Cassandra turned and looked Tenese in the eye. She wasn't nearly as fiery as Conchita, but she knew how to stand up for herself. And she knew how to hold her own. "I like him, I don't give a damn if y'all throw me out of the sisterhood of the traveling fools! I'm not gonna let anybody tell me who I can and cannot date-so get over it!" She turned, tossing her long hair and walked past them toward the door. Conchita uttered a few Spanish curses, and followed. Destiny watched their faces as she followed Conchita and Cassandra from the room. They were all looking at both Conchita and Cassandra with a naked expression that she had never seen when they looked at her. Sadly she realized, it was respect....

Hector was off getting drinks when they came back to the table. But both James and Paul looked a tad worried, especially seeing the four girls exit the powder room right behind them. "Everything ok? " Paul was looking at Cassandra trying to read her face. "Of course, everything's fine" She sat in the chair he pulled out for her, laughing as James lovingly kissed Conchita's hands. Everyone knew he was deeply in love with her, although he still seem to think he was hiding it. As Paul pushed Cassandra's chair in, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Cassie, would you be my girl? " Cassandra's face broke into a dazzling smile. "What the hell took you so long? I thought I was going to have to ask you! You know you-" He shook his head in exasperation. She was sassy as hell, and that was one of the things he loved most about her, but man, Could she run her mouth!

"Shut up- and just say yes" He commanded. "Yes" she answered softly..... And this time she remembered to wait for the kiss....

I think indoctrination is something that can be easily cured if we simply teach women to support women. Many times women/girls will run their ideas past their friends to get an idea of how said ideas will be taken. If their friends are supportive and encouraging they will often find the courage to step out of the box. However, if said friends are negative and dissuading, they will often be unwilling to buck the grain. I think it's imperative that women support other women in their endeavors. Especially as black women because we know no one else is likely to give us this support externally. Many women are raised in families where they are taught to stand by bm regardless of his action, regardless of his sexual proclivities, and regardless of his treatment of her. If she remains, and cannot find the strength to leave, she will surely perish. At the very least, she will be a walking shell of her former self. No one can maintain self respect for long while allowing themselves to be continually devalued and disrespected. This situation is at a crisis level. Evia has an excellent post on this at her blog right now, so I do not need to go into excessive detail, but I will sum it up like this: THE BC IS A SINKING SHIP! It is imperative that we save all the black women we can, because the ship is going down....Tell every BW you can, to judge men ONLY by their quality and not by their skin color. Tell her if she will not do it for herself, do it for her children now, and to come. Leave damaged men alone in all colors, and look for good men in ANY color......Black women must be deprogrammed so that they can live healthy, happy, prosperous lives. The indoctrination of young black females must be halted, and it must start with us. Support bw, young and old in their struggles to escape the box. Let them know they can count on you to talk to when they are ostracized, or belittled for looking out for their own best interests. Many young women would be here today had they had someone say "Girl, he's no good and you know it-get out before it's too late!" Unfortunately, she is likely to hear the opposite. "He has a job, he works every day-give that brother a chance" To her detriment. Young women must be taught to focus on a man's behavior not his color, in choosing a mate. They must be encouraged to look at the whole village instead of the 'hood' to find husband material. I think if they are given support, more will be able to find their way to freedom. Because make no mistake about it. Many sistas right now are living lives of virtual slaves, with no hope of escaping the plantation. They know 'catchers are out looking for them, and ready to inflict severe punishment on those who attempt to escape. So just like the slaves of old, many try to grin and bear it, dying by degrees every day. It's imperative that we show them the way, guide and support them in their quest for freedom. The future of millions of unborn babies will ride on the decisions these young women make.....

Wealth tips will be up on Sun. Thank y'all for tuning in....